Refrigerator shelf

ABSTRACT

A shelf ( 20 ) for a refrigerated cabinet has a first curved surface or formation ( 25 ) on the underside of the shelf ( 20 ) adjacent the front ( 22 ) of the shelf ( 20 ) and a second curved surface or formation ( 24 ) on the underside of the shelf ( 20 ) adjacent the rear ( 23 ) of the shelf ( 20 ). The first curved surface or formation ( 25 ) is configured so that air flowing along the underside of the shelf ( 20 ) towards the front ( 22 ) of the shelf ( 20 ) is deflected in a generally downward direction. The second curved surface or formation ( 24 ) is configured so that air flowing generally upwardly towards the shelf ( 20 ) is deflected to flow along the underside of the shelf ( 20 ).

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0001] This invention relates to refrigerator shelves. In particular,the invention is directed to an improved design for a refrigerator shelfwhich improves airflow and thereby provides more efficient and uniformcooling of the contents of a refrigerator in which the shelf is used.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART

[0002] Upright refrigerated display cabinets, such as commercialrefrigerators, typically have several vertically spaced shelves mountedin a cabinet chamber, each shelf being adapted to hold several rows ofproducts to be refrigerated. Cooled air is circulated through thecabinet chamber to provide as uniform cooling of the contents aspossible. The airflow is typically created by a fan which draws air fromthe cabinet chamber and blows it through the evaporator of arefrigerating mechanism. The air, after being cooled by its passagethrough the evaporator, flows back into the chamber to cool the productsin the cabinet.

[0003]FIG. 1 illustrates a prior art open refrigerated display cabinetin cross-section. The cabinet has an open front and a plurality ofvertically spaced shelves, each shelf having a substantially planar topand bottom. The open configuration leads to thermal losses due to heatexchange between the refrigerated contents on the shelf and the outsideair. Consequently, open refrigerated merchandising cabinets requiregreater refrigeration capacity than closed cabinets. As shown by thearrows in FIG. 1, it is known to direct the flow of cooled air down thefront opening of the cabinet to create an air curtain. The air curtainreduces heat exchange between the outside air and the shelf contents.Nevertheless, the refrigeration capacity of such open cabinets muststill be comparatively higher in order to perform satisfactorily.

[0004] Another problem with the known shelf and airflow arrangement ofFIG. 1 is that the products stored on the shelves are not uniformlycooled.

[0005] It is an object of the present invention to provide an improvedshelf for a refrigerated cabinet that substantially overcomes, or atleast ameliorates, one or more of the deficiencies of the prior art.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0006] According to a first aspect of the present invention there isprovided a shelf for a refrigerated cabinet, the shelf being configuredto deflect air flowing along the shelf.

[0007] Preferably, the shelf has a first curved surface or formation onthe underside of the shelf adjacent the front edge of the shelf. Thefirst curved surface or formation is configured to provide a generallysmooth directional change for air flowing along the underside of theshelf.

[0008] Preferably, the first curved surface or formation is configuredso that air flowing along the underside of the shelf towards the frontof the shelf is deflected in a generally downward direction.

[0009] Preferably, the shelf has a second curved surface or formation onthe underside of the shelf adjacent the rear of the shelf. The secondcurved surface or formation is configured to provide a generally smoothdirectional change for air flowing generally upwardly towards theunderside of the shelf.

[0010] Preferably, the second curved surface or formation is configuredso that air flowing towards the shelf is deflected to flow along theunderside of the shelf.

[0011] The shelf may be mounted within the refrigerated cabinet in ahorizontal or an inclined manner.

[0012] According to a second aspect of the present invention there isprovided a refrigerated cabinet having:

[0013] a chamber having an internal rear wall;

[0014] a shelf extending from the internal rear wall into the chamber,the shelf having a first curved surface or formation on the undersidethereof adjacent the front of the shelf, wherein the first curvedsurface or formation is configured to provide a generally smoothdirectional change for air flowing along the underside of the shelf.

[0015] According to a third aspect of the present invention there isprovided a refrigerated cabinet having:

[0016] a chamber having a foraminous internal rear wall;

[0017] an air duct configured to direct a flow of air into the chamberthrough the internal rear wall;

[0018] a shelf extending from the internal rear wall into the chamber,the shelf having a first curved surface or formation on the underside ofthe shelf adjacent the front of the shelf, wherein the first curvedsurface or formation is configured to provide a generally smoothdirectional change for air flowing along the underside of the shelf.

[0019] In one embodiment of the invention, cooled air is delivered tothe chamber by the delivery duct which is located at the rear of theshelf. Some of the cooled air from the duct flows along the underside ofthe shelf. The curved surface or formation adjacent the front of theshelf deflects the airflow positively down the face of the product onthe shelf or shelves below, and towards a return grill of the cabinet.

[0020] The shelves therefore create a downward flow of air at the faceof the product. This curtain of air helps reduce thermal losses andprovides more effective and efficient cooling by convection.

[0021] In order that the invention may be more fully understood and putinto practice, a preferred embodiment thereof will now be described withreference to the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0022]FIG. 1 is a sectional elevation of a prior art refrigeratedcabinet,

[0023]FIG. 2 is a sectional elevation of an open refrigerated cabinetwith horizontal shelves according to a first embodiment of the presentinvention, and

[0024]FIG. 3 is a sectional elevation of an open refrigerated cabinetwith inclined shelves according to a second embodiment of the presentinvention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0025] The open refrigerated display cabinet 10 illustrated in FIG. 2includes a housing 11 defining a chamber 12 with an opening 13.

[0026] A refrigeration mechanism is located under the chamber 12. Therefrigerating mechanism includes an evaporator 14, typically ofgrid-like form and/or with cooling fins to maximise heat exchange withair passing through or along the evaporator 14. A fan 15 is provided todraw air from the chamber 12 and pass it through or along the evaporator14 to thereby cool the air.

[0027] A lowermost shelf 16 is located in the chamber 12 and extendsfrom a rear internal wall 17 to close to the front of the cabinet. Thelowermost shelf 16 is a solid, i.e. continuous, shelf. A grill (notshown) covers an opening 9 between the bottom shelf 16 and the frontwall of the cabinet. This opening 9 communicates with a duct-likepassage formed between the shelf 16 and the bottom wall 18 of thecabinet housing.

[0028] The fan 15 drives air through the opening 9 and blows it along orthrough the evaporator 14 to be cooled. The cooled air is directedupwardly into a vertical air duct 19 formed between the internal rearwall 17 and the rear wall of the housing. The internal wall 17 is aperforated or otherwise foraminous wall.

[0029] Cooled air in the vertical duct 19 passes through apertures inthe internal rear wall 17 and is directed along the shelves 20 which arevertically spaced along the rear wall 17. The spacing of the shelves 20,while not being constrained by any products stored on the shelves 20 orapertures in the rear wall 17, can be adjusted in a vertical direction.

[0030] Each shelf 20 has a lower surface or underside 21, a front 22, arear 23 and a flat upper surface upon which products are placed. A rearportion 24 of the underside of each shelf nearest the rear wall 17 isupwardly curved while a front portion 25 nearest the opening 13 of thechamber 12 is downwardly curved. Thus, as the cooled air flows generallyupwardly out of the rear wall 17, it is directed generally along thelower surface or underside of each shelf 20 towards the front thereof,and is then directed downwardly.

[0031] The curved configuration at the front of the underside of eachshelf deflects the air down the face of any products that are stored onlower shelves and back to the return opening 9, as shown in FIG. 2.

[0032] The shelf 20 can be mounted within the cabinet 10 in a horizontalmanner (as illustrated in FIG. 2) or in an inclined manner (asillustrated in FIG. 3) without any loss or detriment to the air flowpattern created along the underside of each shelf 20.

[0033] It has been found that the shelves described above providesuperior control over airflow to that of conventional shelves, andimprove cabinet performance significantly.

[0034] The foregoing describes only one embodiment of the presentinvention, and modifications, obvious to those skilled in the art, canbe made thereto without departing from the scope of the presentinvention.

[0035] For example, it should be appreciated that the present inventionis not limited in its application to open refrigerated display cabinetsas it can also be used in closed refrigerated display cabinets, as wellas freezer cabinets.

The claims defining the invention are as follows:
 1. A shelf for arefrigerated cabinet, the shelf being configured to deflect air flowingalong the shelf.
 2. The shelf of claim 1 having a first curved surfaceor formation on the underside of the shelf adjacent the front of theshelf, wherein the first curved surface or formation is configured toprovide a generally smooth directional change for air flowing along theunderside of the shelf.
 3. The shelf of claim 2, wherein the firstcurved surface or formation is configured so that air flowing along theunderside of the shelf towards the front of the shelf is deflected in agenerally downward direction.
 4. The shelf of claim 3 further having asecond curved surface or formation on the underside of the shelfadjacent the rear of the shelf, wherein the second curved surface orformation is configured to provide a generally smooth directional changefor air flowing generally upwardly towards the underside of the shelf.5. The shelf of claim 4, wherein the second curved surface or formationis configured so that air flowing generally upwardly towards the shelfis deflected to flow along the underside of the shelf.
 6. The shelf ofclaim 1, wherein the shelf is mountable within the refrigerated cabinetin a horizontal manner.
 7. The shelf of claim 1, wherein the shelf ismountable within the refrigerated cabinet in an inclined manner.
 8. Arefrigerated cabinet having: a chamber having an internal rear wall; ashelf extending from the internal rear wall into the chamber, the shelfhaving a first curved surface or formation on the underside thereofadjacent the front of the shelf, wherein the first curved surface orformation is configured to provide a generally smooth directional changefor air flowing along the underside of the shelf.
 9. The refrigeratedcabinet of claim 8, wherein the first curved surface or formation isconfigured so that air flowing along the underside of the shelf towardsthe front of the shelf is deflected in a generally downward direction.10. The refrigerated cabinet of claim 9 further having a second curvedsurface or formation on the underside of the shelf adjacent the rear ofthe shelf and the internal rear wall, wherein the second curved surfaceor formation is configured to provide a generally smooth directionalchange for air flowing generally upwardly towards the underside of theshelf.
 11. The refrigerated cabinet of claim 10, wherein the secondcurved surface or formation is configured so that air flowing generallyupwardly towards the underside of the shelf is deflected to flow alongthe underside of the shelf towards the front thereof.
 12. Therefrigerated cabinet of claim 8, wherein the shelf is mounted within thechamber in a horizontal manner.
 13. The refrigerated cabinet of claim 8,wherein the shelf is mounted within the chamber in an inclined manner.14. A refrigerated cabinet having: a chamber having a foraminousinternal rear wall; an air duct configured to direct a flow of air intothe chamber through the internal rear wall; a shelf extending from theinternal rear wall into the chamber, the shelf having a first curvedsurface or formation on the underside of the shelf adjacent the front ofthe shelf, wherein the first curved surface or formation is configuredto provide a generally smooth directional change for air flowing alongthe underside of the shelf.
 15. The refrigerated cabinet of claim 14,wherein the first curved surface or formation is configured so that airflowing along the underside of the shelf towards the front of the shelfis deflected in a generally downward direction.
 16. The refrigeratedcabinet of claim 15 further having a second curved surface or formationon the underside of the shelf adjacent the rear of the shelf and theinternal rear wall, wherein the second curved surface or formation isconfigured to provide a generally smooth directional change for airflowing through the internal rear wall generally upwardly towards theshelf.
 17. The refrigerated cabinet of claim 16, wherein the secondcurved surface or formation is configured so that air flowing from theinternal rear wall towards the underside of the shelf is deflected toflow along the underside of the shelf.
 18. The refrigerated cabinet ofclaim 14, wherein the air duct is substantially vertical.
 19. Therefrigerated cabinet of claim 14, wherein the shelf is mounted withinthe chamber in a horizontal manner.
 20. The refrigerated cabinet ofclaim 14, wherein the shelf is mounted within the chamber in an inclinedinclined manner.